About Brigid

Brigid O’Farrell is an independent scholar whose research and writing has focused on employment equity, especially for women in nontraditional jobs. She has traveled from factories in New England to fire and police stations in the Southwest, from child care programs in the Midwest and Alaska to union meetings across the country. A sociologist by training, she delves into labor history to better understand the issues and barriers confronting today’s workers.

Photo by Cheri Parr

In her most recent book, She Was One of Us: Eleanor Roosevelt and the American Worker, O’Farrell tells the story of how Eleanor Roosevelt’s deep and enduring commitment to workers and the labor movement developed and how she translated that commitment into action. This story grew from O’Farrell’s 1996 book, Rocking the Boat: Union Women’s Voices 1915-1975, with Joyce Kornbluh, where she first heard the stories told by union women about meeting with the First Lady at the White House, visiting her at Val-Kill, and joining her on the campaign trail or at union meetings.

O’Farrell is currently affiliated with the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project, George Washington University and a consultant to the Berger-Marks Foundation. Previous positions include affiliated scholar at Stanford University’s Institute for Research on Women and Gender and study director at the National Research Council/National Academy of Sciences.

She has written or edited seven books, including Beyond Gender: The New Politics of Work and Family, with Betty Friedan. Numerous articles and presentations range from academic journals to union audiences. The most recent article is “Restoring Workplace Democracy: Eleanor Roosevelt and Labor Law Reform,” in the Journal of Workplace Rights.

O’Farrell has a masters degree from Harvard University and is a member of the American Sociological Association, the Industrial and Labor Relations Association, and the National Writers’ Union, UAW Local 1981. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband T.J. Glauthier. They have four sons and four grandsons. She is active in local politics and serves as president of the Coastside Democrats and is an elected member of the San Mateo Democratic Central Committee. For about Brigid from her local communities see: